Automobile bumper



Patented De. is, 1925,

umrr.u STATES HELGE A. IBORRESEN, 01? CHCAGO, ILLINOIS.

nm:ontomnn mmmin.

Application flled Iay 28, 1923. Seril.l 110. 841,643.

T0 all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, HELGE A. BORRESEN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook end of Illinois, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in-Automobile Bumpers, of which the following is-a; full clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accmpanving drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention relates to automobile bumpers and has among its various objects the production of a device of this character in which the element which usually is extended across the vehicle is of a. f lex1ble and resilient character.

It is a further object of the invention to combine or associate a support with an ele ment having characteristics such as those above referred to, which support will main-- tai1i said element taut, yet will allow said element te yield and be restored upon contact and release of said elementwith an object.

It is an object te employ a Support which extends from the vehicle to the element above referred to, which will yielcl and resiliently resist vari0us forces applieol to it, regardless of the directon of application of saicl force and be restored to its normal condition after the release of saicl orce.

It is an object te construct the supports of one ormore strips which are of a resilient character and to form these strands so that the resilient resistance offered thereby will be increased in proportion to the force applied.

In addition it is an objectto provide a member which provides a connector between the resilient supports and the flexible strands which extencl across the vehicle and to construct the connector so that it will in addition produce a sl1ield or protector which by virtue of its structure will ward of or deflect an object with which it contacts.

It is a feature of the invention toprovide a cover for that portion of the bum er which extends across the end of the vlncle ancl to construct the cover so that it may be readily associatecl and removed from said portion of the structure.

It is a feature of the invention to construct this cover so as to provide a. cushion tate to further minimize ersonal injuries and other damages due to.1ts contact or collision with other objects.

11: is an object of the inventionto provide an element which is adapted to be secured to a bumper and which is capable of being inflated and to arrange this portion with.

respect to the bumper so that it will present a cush1on to the object with which it engages, the cushion or pneumatic portion including an inner and outer casing, the outer claims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view.

ofa bumper constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the structure shown in Fi ure 1.

Figure 3 18 a sicle view of a p'ortion of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of & cover which may be employed to enclose a part of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is asectipn taken on line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is aperspebtive view of a connector employed in the in Figures 1 and 2.

arrangement shown Figure 7 is a rear elevation of a portion of the connector illustrated in Figure 6 showing its application to one of the members which extend across the vehicle.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively plan and front elevations of a modified bumper structure.

Figure 10 is a side view of the structure shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of another form of an element which may be substiin Figures 8 and 9.

F igure 12 is a plan view of another emtuted for a portion ofthe structure shown bodiment of a structure such as that disclosed in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure 12. Figure 14 is 9. sectional view showing the manner in which the bumper may be attached to the frame of the vehicle.

Figures 15 and 16 illustrate various arrangements which may be employed for covering the bumper and providing a cushion to thereby reduce injury to a person and darnage to the bumper or object with Which the bumper engages.

Figure 17 is a planviewof an end of a vehicle having anot-her form of bumper ap: plied thereto and having another form of pneumatic cushioning structure associated therewith.

F igure 18 is a section taken on line 18- 18 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a section taken on line 19-- 190i Figure 17.

pose of illustration.

The embodiment of the bumper illustrat ed in Figures 1 to 7 includes the supprts 15 and 16 which are connected to the side frames of the vehicle, extend forwardly therefrom and have the cables 17 and 18 secured to their forward ende through the medium of the plates 19 and 20 which in addition to prov1ding a means for connect ing said cables to the supports, provide protectors whie'h will ward ofi or deflect objects which contact; therwith.

The object and construction of the supports 15 and 1 being identical with each other an explanation of one wi1l sufiice for an understanding of both. These supports 15 and 16 are inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 eenstructed of a single strip of suitably shaped spr1ng material, one end beingformed with an eyelet 21 whereby the support may be attached to the frame of the machine by means of the beits 22 and 23.

These supports are each formed te pro v1de the ooil 24 which is forrned adjacent the point of attachment of the support and frame, and is formed o provide a second .coil 25 which is arranged at the forward end of the strip, the end of this'portion of the strand be1ng extended outwardly and termmates 111 en eyelet 26 wheieby the curved plate or protector 27 may be riveted or 'otherwise secured to the resilient member 15 er 16.

n the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the plate 27 has its innermost end provided with apertures 28 and 29 through which the ends of the cables 17 and 18 are passed and thensecured against separation from the plate. The cables 17 and 18 are connected together throughout their lcngth by means of the connectors 3030 which prevent the se'paration of said cables and also the passage of an object between said cables. present.instance constructed of T iron, the

center rib 31 thereof being provided with a plurality of apertures 32 which are pr0 vided to receive the cables 17 and 18. The rib 31 is split at each aperture as indicated at 33 so that the web may be spread at this portion to allow 'the introduction of the c'ables into the aperti1res, it being understood that the split portion of the web is closed after the cables have been located in the apertures.

The structure just described provides an efiicient structure for engaging the cable and holding the connectors with relation thereto which prevents the separation of the cables and also prevents the passag*e of an object betwen said cables.

n the structure illustrated in Figures 8 9 and 10 the cable supports 15 and 16 arc composed of a single strip of spring material forn1ed te producethe parallel portions 36 and 37 Which are connecbed together by the element thereof 38 which is integral with the portions 36 and 37. Each of the parallel portions 36 and 37 is formed to provide coils 39 and 10, the former.being arranged adjacent the cnnection of the support and 'the chassis, the latter being located ad acent the forward. end o said supports. The outer extremities of the parallel supprts are extended inwardly relatively to the eoils 40, thus differing from the structure shown in Figure 1 in which str1icture this portion of the support extends outwardly. The portion 38 of this structure. is notched as indicated at 11to receive and held the cables 42--42 in proper relation to this portion of the structure. The device illusfrated in Figures 8 and 9 is providedwith plates4343 which act as shields to ward oi' orprotect the bumper and objects with which tl1is portion of the structure contacts.

These plates 43-43 are cnnected to the supports by being riveted or otherwise secured thereto and are formed so that they These connectors 30 are in the partiallyencircle both of the coils 4040.

The supports may be secured to the chassis by means of the clip illustrated in Figure 14 which includes a threaded extension 45 which is designed to be passed through en aperture rovided in the frame ofthe Ina chine an provided with a nut which will draw the head 46 of the cli against the ends of the supports and there y clamp thein to the frame of the vehicl. V

The construction of the su port illustrated in Figure 11 sbstantialycorresponds to the structure shown in Fi res 8-9 but diflers in that a somewhat ifi'erent structure-is provided wherehy the cables which extend across the vehicleare attached to the supports. The structure illustrated in Figure 11 contemplates employing tvvo separate members 47 and 48 which are rovided at their outermost xtremities wt eyelets 49 to secure the reduced ends 5()50 of the element 51, the latter of which is arranged construction of the support illustrated in Figures 12 and 18 contemplates employing t v vo flat spring elements 53 and 54, the ends of which are secured to the chassis or frame of the car, being placed one against the 0th- =er, and have that portion thereof adjacent the forward end respectively formed to provide coils 55-56 which extend in opposite directions from the part of the support which is secured to the chassis.

The outer extremities of the supports ad jacent the coiled portions55-56 thereof extend inwardly towards the support arranged upon the other side of the .vehicle and have the cables57 attached to sai d ends.

In Figures 4, 5, 15 and 16 covers for the bumper are illustrated which are provided t o enclose said cables of the bumpers, protect them against the weather, improve the appearance thereof and in addit1on minimize thepossiblity of injury to a erson and damage to the bumper and also t e object with which the bumper may be brought into contact.

'lhis cover may be constructed of any desirable or suitable material and vis de sgned to surround the cables throughout their 'length. The particular structure i1- lustra ted in Figure 5 contemplates providpocket 59 within which cushioning material includes an outercover 61 the end;626

of which overlap eaoh other and" in addition are each provided with'intercalating portions 64-64 which co-operatewith"each other to prevent separation of the casing at said edges. The cover in this instance is provded with straps 6565 for secuii ng it to the bumperij Metallic strap"s 66"alre arrahged transversely of the cables 67and are interposed between the cables and the cover and co-operate to mantain theends of the outer casing against the action of the pneumato pressure contained in the'tubes 68 and 69, each of which is provided with a valve and valve stem 70 for the purpose of- The structureillustrated in Figure 17 includes the use of a plurality of pairs of spring elements 71-72-73 and. 74"each pair 1ncluding elements 75 and 76, as il lustrated in Figure 20 which have one end such as 77 attached tothe chassis and the other attached to the strands which extend across the end of the vehicle.

Each of the spring elements 75 and 76 isformed to provide acoil 78which adds to the resili ency of the structure. These spring elements 71, 72, 7 3 and 7 4 are prefer ably curved in the manner llustrated and the ends of the spring elements 72 and 73 overlap each other as indicated at 79 and are passed through apertures 80 and 81 ro vided in the T shaped member 82 whic is arranged transverselyof the strands 83-84 which extend across the end of the vehicle and are passed through said member 82.

The strands or cables. 83 and 84 have ther plates provide guards. for the ends of the unper for the pu ose hereinbefore explained and in addi ion provide a means -vvhereby the opposite ends of the pneumatic cushion generallv designated 88 may be removably secure to said bumper. To accomplish the attachment of the cushicn or p'neumatic portion of the bumper to these plates each of said plates is apertured as indicated at 89 to permit the straps 90, provided atthe ends of said pi1eumatic portion.

88, to be assed therethrough and be secured to said p ate by some suitable fastener such as 91. The pneumatic cushion 88 is provided -with several additional straps 9292 which extend in opposite directions from the body of said pneumatic portion and are provided for the purpose of assisting in securing this pneumatic cushion to other portions of the structure. These straps are in the present structure designed to have an end thereof secured tothe metallic cross members 93 which are disposed at suitable intervals throughout the length of the cables 83 and 84. The opposite ends of these cross members are formed to provide loops 94-94 which surround the cables and secure the cross members to said cables. These cross members are each rovided with a threaded projection 95 wit which the apertured stra s 92 co-operate to assist in holding the cushwn 88 with relati n to the remainder of the structure, the straps being held with relation to the projection through the medium of the nut 96.

The cushin member 88 is composed of an outer casing 97 and an inner tube 98, the letter beng provided with a valve and valve stem 99 whereby the tube may be inflated. The outer casing' 97 is.constructed so as to completely surround the inner tube and is split as at 100 to permit the introduction and removal of said tube from within the casing. The edges of said outer casing are provided with dual locking means designated 101 and 102. The edges ofsaid split are formed to provide the locking means 101 and eac h of said edges is further provided with the looking means 102 which are preferably metallic members shaped s0 as to engage each other and hold the edges against separation but willreadily allow the edges to be unlocked and opened to permit the introduotion or removal of an inner tube, and in addition allow the rear wall to give upon application of force to bumper.

These looking elements 102 are disposed throughout the length of the casing. The casing is provided with a transverse slib 103 which is provided to facilitate the introduction and removal of the tube from the casing.

By referring to the structure illustrated in Figure 17 it is manifest that should a .orce be applied to the bumper at r near the center thereof, that the ends of the springs 72 and 7 3 will slide with relation to each other and will also act in this manner should a force be applied to the endmost springs 85 and 86.

It is further manifest that the pneumatic cushion may be readily changed or be en tirely removed should Occasion demand e1ther to be done.

It is also evident tlxat the structure will successfully resist pressure within the tube, yet will not interfere with the fiexibility of the bumper.

From the foregoing decription of the various structures illustrated it is obvious chat an extremely simple and inexpensive construction is provided in which the oom" bination of the resilient spring supporting elements and. the flexible members or cables opposite ends thereof and being which extend from one support to another co-operate to rovide a bumper which is extremely resihent and which will yieldably resist the various forces a plied to it, and in Which a fiexible, cuslnoned element is presented to the object which will reduce the possibility of personal injury and injry to other objects.

Having thus described the invention .what I claim and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automobile bumper the combination of a pair of supports one end thereof being adaptedto be secured to a vehicle and having a flexible member secured to the extended aoross the end of the vehicle, sa1d su ports consisting of resilient material Wh101 1 is f0lll'lfid to produce a coil intermediate its en s.

2. In an automobile bumper the combination of aflexible member adapted to be extended aorssthe end of a vehicle and supporting members to wh ich said flexible member is secured, said supporting members being produced of a member which is of resilient material ormed to provide coils,

the latter being arranged adjacent the ends thereof to Which the flexible member is secured and -adjacent the opposite end of said support.

3. In an automobile bumper the combina tion of a flexible member adapted to be extended across the end of a vehicle and su porting members to -which said flexibib member is secured, each of said su porting members beingproduced of paralll mem bers of resilient material, forn'1ed to produce a coil arranged intermediate the ends there- 4. In en automobile bumper the combination of a flexible member ada ted to be extended across the end of a veliele and supporting members to which said flexible member is secured, eaoh of said supporting members being produced of parallel connected members of resilient material formed to produce a coil arranged intermediate the ends of said parallel members.

5. In an automobile bumper the combi nationof a flexible member adapted to be extended across the end of a veh1cle, members providing supports for said flexible member, and a member provided at the end. of said supports to which the flexible mem ber is attached, each of said supports consisting of resilientmaterial which is formed to produce a coil intermediate its ends.

6. In an automoble bumper the eombination of a flexible member adapted to be extended across the end of a vehicle, members providing supports for said fiexible member, each of said supports consisting of parallel portins formed intermediate its ends to produce a 0011, a member arranged nation of flexiblemembers at an end of said parallel portions of the support to which the flexible member is attnched.

and permitting said flexible members to be which interlock with each other and permit secured theretc, said supports being formed to rovide colsmembers connecting said flex1ble members together to maintain them in parallel relation and to prevent the pas sage of an object between said parallel flexible members.

8.=In en automobile bumper having cables which extend from one side f the vehicle toward the other in combination with a cushion which extends along the cables and in front of sid cables.

9. In 21 device adapted to be extended across the end of a vehicle, said device being separable along its lengith thereof and having means rranged alung the edges thereof which interlock with each other and perinit sa.id edges 1:0 be separably locked together to provide a pocket in which cushion- 1ng means may be confined.

10. A device adapted to be extended across the end of a. vehicle, said device being separable alon its length and havng means arrangeda ong the edges thereof said edges to be separably locked together to prov1de a means for receivin a pne u matic cushio element, sai locking means being he (1 in locked relation by the expansion of said cushioning element. 11. A device adapted to be secured to a. vehicle end to extend across the end thereof, sa.d device providing a cover for pneumatic cushioning means enclosed by sa.id cover, said cover having means provided along the opposite ed es thereof which cooperate with each 01: er whereby the opposed edgesthereof are secured against separati0n and means for securing sa1d device in. postion.

12. A cushioningmeinber for a bumper c 0nsisting of en outer casing, the opposed edges thereof having means whch cooperate with each other for securng them against separation, and a pneumatic element confined in sad casing.

13. Inan automobile bumper the combinat ion O supp0rts, a cable formed of strands extending across the end of the vehicle. having its opposite ends attached to said supports, shields arranged exteriorly of said cables provided at the ends of said cable and means for resiliently maintaining said cable in extended conditon across the end of the vehicle.

14. In en autom0bile bumper the combination of supports coiled intermediate their ends and cables extending from one support te the other, said cables being main tained inextended condition by means of said coiled supports.

In witness whreof, I hereunt subscribe my name this 22nd day of M-ay A. D., 1923.

IIELGE A. BORRESEN. 

